Chapter #64: Operation Hibernation
General Olivier Mira Armstrong did not hesitate for even a second.
"Buccaneer," she ordered in a firm voice, "seal the gates. Operation Hibernation is in effect."
The name fell like a blunt удар in the frozen air. The soldiers of Briggs reacted instantly—no questions, no hesitation. The orders of the Ice Queen were never debated; they were executed. Internal alarms shifted tone, signaling a special state of total lockdown, and the ancient mechanisms of the fortress began to awaken with a deep, almost bestial roar.
The messenger from Central—still trembling from the cold and from the news he carried—stared in panic.
"W-what are you doing, General?" he asked, stepping back. "I have to return to Central!"
Olivier glanced at him while pulling on her gloves, adjusting each finger with military precision.
"I'm sealing Briggs," she replied with absolute calm. "We're developing new weapons, reinforcing defenses, and reorganizing troops. And above all, I have no intention of spilling unnecessary blood inside this base."
Buccaneer was already in motion. With his automail arm, he activated the main controls of the northern gate. The massive metal door began to descend slowly, its thunderous rumble echoing across the valley. With every inch it lowered, Briggs seemed to separate itself further from the rest of the world.
The messenger swallowed hard.
"And what about me?" he asked in a broken voice. "Will I be able to go back?"
Olivier finally turned toward him, fixing him with a gaze as cold as the ice coating the walls.
"You can do whatever you want," she said. "But do it quickly."
The gate continued to descend.
"If you decide to stay," she added, "I'll assign you to cleaning the bathrooms. We're going to need extra personnel."
The soldier went pale.
"N-no, my general!"
Without thinking twice, he bolted toward the outside, vanishing into the blizzard and the brutal cold of Briggs. Olivier didn't even bother to follow him with her eyes. For her, the matter was already settled.
The gate slammed shut with a final crash, sealing the fortress completely.
"Gates closed," Buccaneer reported. "Briggs is isolated."
"Perfect," Olivier replied. "Now the real work begins."
She headed to the command center, where the senior officers were already waiting. A map of Amestris lay spread across the table, red markers highlighting Ishval and several potential routes of conflict. Olivier placed both hands on the metal surface and spoke.
"I will send half of our best men," she said. "Shock troops, snipers, specialists trained for extreme conditions. The North will go to war."
Some officers nodded with determination. Others clenched their jaws.
"The other half stays here," she continued. "Briggs will not be left unprotected for a single second. If Drachma learns that we've weakened the base, they'll attack without hesitation—and I won't hand them that opportunity."
The silence was absolute.
"My general," a captain asked, "will you be going with the troops?"
Olivier stood still for a few seconds. Then she let out a short, bitter laugh.
"I'd love to," she said. "Fight for my country, see the battlefield, crack skulls with my own hands…"
She rubbed her face and shook her head.
"But it won't be possible. Either I guard Briggs, or I fight the war. And apparently, no one wants to give me a damn break."
Some officers smiled nervously. Others lowered their gaze, knowing that, deep down, the General was right.
"Damn it," she muttered. "I always end up cleaning up other people's messes."
She straightened immediately. The Ice Queen did not allow herself weakness.
Hours later, the selected troops were assembled in the main courtyard. The wind lashed violently, but not a single soldier moved. Olivier stood before them, sword at her side, coat billowing like a banner of war.
"Soldiers of Briggs," she said, "you are heading into a dirty, cruel, and thankless war. I won't lie to you."
She looked at them one by one.
"You will defend Amestris. You will defend the North. You will defend the name of this base."
She paused.
"And you'd better come back alive."
Some exchanged surprised glances.
"Because if you die," she continued, a dangerous smile forming on her lips, "I'll personally drag you back just to punish you for making Briggs look bad and for failing to defend your country properly."
A murmur rippled through the ranks—then restrained laughter. The tension hardened into pure resolve.
"March," she ordered. "And don't forget who you are."
The troops departed amid the roar of the wind and the crunch of snow. Olivier watched until the last soldier vanished into the white horizon.
Briggs fell silent once more.
The General turned and returned to the fortress.
The ice endured.
And so did she.
End of chapter